Five Frankels Set For Easter Sale

With the European flat season fast approaching, Frankel fever will soon be underway in the Northern Hemisphere, with the unbeaten world champion's first-crop 2-year-olds preparing to grace the racetracks. Down Under, the first Frankel yearlings to be offered at auction in Australia are set to go under the hammer at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, and the quintet is expected to create a similar buzz.

These five won't be the first Frankel yearlings on offer in the Southern Hemisphere. A Frankel colt offered at New Zealand's Premier Sale in January topped the sale with a bid of NZ$1.3 million (£608,765/€774,748) from the partnership of BBA Ireland, Coolmore, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum, the Niarchos family and Apollo Ng. He was the only seven-figure yearling of the sale.

The Frankels catalogued for Easter are lot 217, a half-brother to French stakes winner Buenos Dias (Fr) (Peintre Celebre) out of Buenos Aires (Ire) (Rainbow Quest), a half-sister to G1 Cox Plate and G1 Melbourne Cup winner Might And Power (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) from Cressfield Stud; 357, a filly also from Cressfield and the first foal out of Group 2 winner Jeu De Cartes (NZ) (Stravinsky); lot 417, a half-sister to dual British Group 3 winner Kiyoshi (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) from Widden Stud; lot 423, a colt from Strawberry Hill Stud who is the first foal of dual Group 2 winner More Strawberries (Aus) (More Than Ready); and lot 237, a filly from Three Bridges Thoroughbreds who is the first foal out of South African Group 1 winner Chocolicious (SAf) (Kahal {GB}).

The aforementioned dams were a handful of the 21 mares covered by Frankel in his first Southern Hemisphere-time crop at Juddmonte's Banstead Manor Stud in Newmarket according to Juddmonte's Simon Mockridge. His first two books also included multiple Group 1 winners More Joyous (NZ) (More Than Ready) and Samantha Miss (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), as well as Group 1 winners Rostova (Aus) (Testa Rossa {Aus}) and Val De Ra (SAf) (Var) and Group 1 producer Deedra (Aus) (Zabeel {NZ}), the dam of G1 Vinery Stud S. winner Fenway (Aus) (High Chaparral {Ire}).

“It is very exciting to see five Frankel yearlings in the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, as they provide Frankel with an opportunity to have first-season runners in the Southern Hemisphere,” said Mockridge. “Reports from the consignors are very encouraging and we are hopeful that their yearlings will be as well received as the sales-topping Frankel colt at the NZB Premier Sale in January.”

The journey to visit Frankel was not without significant cost and time outlay for the aforementioned mares and their owners. Frankel's £100,000 Southern Hemisphere covering fee aside, those shipped from Australia and back again would have paid for airfare in addition to boarding fees. Stablemates More Joyous and More Strawberries, for instance, departed Australia in August 2013 and boarded in Britain until the following January, when they were deemed safely in foal.

The Cressfield pair, Jeu de Cartes and Buenos Aires, stayed in Britain about the same amount of time. Cressfield's Bruce Neill bought Jeu de Cartes as a maiden mare in New Zealand to send to Frankel, and he sourced Buenos Aires from France. The Frankel half-sister to Kiyoshi was foaled in Britain on Southern Hemisphere time.

“Given the significant distances involved in transporting mares to Europe for covering, we are very appreciative of the faith shown in Frankel by the breeders who have supported him and who clearly hold him in high esteem,” said Mockridge. “We hope that their commitment will be amply rewarded.”

Frankel is not the only Juddmonte sire represented in the Easter catalogue. His Banstead barnmate Oasis Dream (GB) is responsible for lot 521, a filly from Newhaven Park who is the first foal out of the winning Shamardal mare Maxi Dress (Ire) from the family of Dansili (GB)'s triple Australian Group 1 winner Foreteller (GB).

Oasis Dream is already represented by Group 1 winner Opinion (GB) Down Under, while Dansili has Group 1 winner Grand Marshal (GB) in addition to Foreteller.

While none of the Juddmonte sires shuttle, Mockridge noted they would all be available once again in 2016 for Southern Hemisphere-time coverings in Newmarket.